Rotary engine.



G. TEMPLE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1915.

1,218,716. Patnted MaI-.13,1917g- Y fici.

W2 wm'ssss.' {NVE/ffm? umu/JAA Cra/ff 7am/vie v G. TEMPLE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLlcMloN man 111111.18, 1915.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

@my a GEANT TEMPLE, or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

ROTARY EN GINE.

Specification of LettersPatent. j Patented Mar. 13, 19.17.

Application led March 18, 1915. Serial No. 15,209.

-To all 'whom/it may camera:

Be it known that I, GRANT TEMPLE, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county ofv Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain newV andI useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, land exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

. This invention relates .to rotary engines adapted to be driven by pressure fluid, and has for its -general object the provision of a simple, eicient engine. .My engine com prises an annular cylinder and a rotary piston therein, and another object is to provide an elicient means for intermittently closing one point of the passage for the p-iston so arranged as to be thoroughly steam ti ht and not rendered ineiiicient by wear. n-

otherobject is to provide a simple and eiiev cient means for operating this closing member. My invention is hereinafter more fully I described in connection with the drawings and lother features and objects will become apparent in the description vand the essential characteristics are set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my engine; F ig.v 2 is a verticalsection through .thecentral plane of the cylinder; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section taken substantially through the axis about which the piston rotates; Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation opposite the side shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail, being a side elevationv of the'piston; Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 7 is a transverse section through one of the piston rings, in an enlarged scale; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing a compound arrangement of my engine.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, 10 and 1 1 are cylinder members having registering annular grooves forming the annular cylinder bore 12 for the piston 14. These members 10 and 11 are shown as having abutting radial flanges 15, through which extend a series of bolts 16, for holding these members together. A suitable base 1S is preferably made integral with4 the member 1l and is shown as extending substantially laterally equal distances from beneath both themembers 10 and l1, so that the weight ofthe engine will be properly balanced tbereonl The piston 14 is rigidly connected with a thin circular disk' 20, which is rigidly connected at its center by hubs 21, with the driving shaft 22, running in bearings 23 and 24, shown-asca-rried on brackets integral /with the members- 10 and 11. This shaft extends through stuflingboxes 26, at

.the center of the memberslO and 11,`the adjacent portions of whichare recessed'to re-l v-ceive the hub members 21 of the disk'20. -From these recessed portions the members l0 and 11 extend in radial planes, vslightly spaced from the disk 20 to the semi-circular grooves forming the cylinder 'bore of the pis-V ten. Suitable radial ribs 27 maybe provided -to strengthen these members.'

Adjacent the periphery of the circular portions 10 and 11, .isa short' cylindrical drum-like member'30, rotatable in registering cylindrical recesses, formed in cylinder members 32 and 33, shown as integral with vthe members l0 and ll respectively. The

drum is preferably carried ona transverse shaft 34, having itsaxis parallel with the shaft 22 and adapted to be driven in synchronism therewith `by twin spur gears 35- and 36, rigid onthe shafts 22 andl 34, respectively. This drum-like member forms the gate for closing the piston passage, and

its periphery is adapted to contact with the periphery of the disk 20, and the sides of the drum extend outwardly past the cylinder bore, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby preventing steam in the cylinder bore passing the gate. A portion of the drum is cut away,

as shown at 37, providing a recess of such.-

shape and size as to allow lthe piston to pass the gate as the gate and disk are rotated together. While the recess is passing theI disk, this gate member of course does not close the cylinderbore, and it is obviously desirable Vto have the recess'portion 37 occup-y as little of the circumference of the drum as possible. The remaining portion ofthe circumference must contact tightly with thel edge ofthe piston disk to prevent passage of steam while the piston isbeing driven. As a means for provi'dingv such a `contact irrespective of the relative expansion' of the metals, the wear, etc., 'I have shown a spring member 38, substantially like a piston ring andxextending around the gate from points immediately adjacent each `side of the recess 37, and having its surface adapted ,to spring against 4the edge of the disk land having its sides snugly engaging a groove in the cylinder 30.

It is necessary to provide a steam tight joint between the periphery of the piston disk and the members 10 and 11, and' still allow the disk to rotate freely. This I prefer to accomplish by means of rings 40,

` carried "by the members and 11 and rae closely fitting the disk preferably composed of metal such as babbitt for example. To prevent the leakage of steam outwardly between the flanges 15 and 16, I have provided a strip of packing 42, lying in registering grooves in the members V10 and 11 and extending entirely around the cylinder bore and around the drum 80, inside of the bolts 16.

Inlet and exhaust ports 44 and 45 respectively, are positioned at either side of the gate and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the movement. of the piston through the interval during which the recess is passing the adjacent point on the periphery of the piston disk. The steam inf let may be controlled by any suitable valve mechanism. For example, I have shown a valve casing 46, to which the steam pipe 47 leads and having therein a piston 48, operated by a piston rod 49 to cover and uncover a port 50 communicating with the port 44. The rod 49 is shown yas extending toward the shaft and connected with a strap 52, engaging a slot in an eccentric 53,.rigid on that shaft, these parts being arranged to open the inlet valve quickly and maintain =it in the open position' while the piston 14 is passingv from the inlet port 44 around to the right as far as desired, (Fig. 2) preferably until it approaches the exhaust port 45, when the steam is shut o and the steam in the cylinder exhausts through the port 45 and a suitable exhaust pipe indicated at 54.

The rotation of the piston diskand gate continues between the ports 45 and 44 by momentum, there being provided a suitable fly Wheel 56 on the shaft 22.

The surface of the piston 14, fitting the bore, is necessarily arcuate and its ends 57 and 58 preferably lie in radial planes. The piston may be secured to the disk by bolts 59 extending through outwardly projecting ears 60, integral with the disk 20 and fitting into recesses in the ends of the piston. The piston is shown as cut away to provide recesses 61 for the head and nut of the bolt, allowing them to clear the bore of the cylinder. Piston rings 63 may be provided having their free ends held in the groove by means of the heads of screws 65, engaging shoulders in suitable slots 66, allowing expanding movement of the piston rings while the heads of the screws stand beneath the surface of the piston to clear the cylinder bore. In order that the rings may pass the gate member and again engage the Vcylinder bore without their forward edges engaging the edges where the bore for the gate meets the cylinder bore, I have shown the rings as beingtapered forwardly, that is with'the at its periphery andv a soft lubricating forward side 67 of a smaller diameter than therear side, which engages the cylinder bore. As the piston rings move entirely in vone direction it will be seen that this construction obviates the difliculty mentioned without detracting from the efliciency ofthe rings. I prefer to chamfer the rear edge 68 of the piston rings so that steam pressure behind the ring will tend to spread the same into a close engagement with the cylinder.

'As the bearings for the shaft 34 become worn,the steam pressure on one side of the gate drum will cause excessive friction between the opposite side of the drum and its casing. Accordingly, I fit into the openings in the casing through which the'shaft 34 extends, Heating stuffing boxes 71 embrac-4 ing the shaft 34 which isvcarried in bearing members 7 0, one portion of each of which is rigid with the block 73 having threaded engagement with a screw 74, having right and left hand threads, one 'end engaging the blocks 7 3 and the other threadedblocks 72 abutting a boss 75 rigid with the side ,members 10 and 11. The screw may. be rotated by an integral collar 76, shown as having holes for a spanner wrench, and lock nuts 77 may be provided at each side of the collar 76.- These screws are arranged to move the bearings ltoward a point where the live steam pressure comes onto the cylindrical gate so that the thrust of this steam may be received lentirely on the bearings for they shaft 34, allowing .the surface of the drum to rotate freely in its casing.

Fig. 8 diagrammatically illustrates a compound arrangement for my engine, in which a-main shaft 80 carries a series of disks Q0, each driven by its piston 14 in the annular cylinders in the casing, which are indicated in ydotted lines at A, B, C, and D.` The casing B, entering on the opposite side f` the drive shaft from the inlet port of the casing A. This unit exhausts in turn through a pipe 84, taking steam at a lower pressure which drives the piston in the casing C and exhausts through a pipe 85, to the unit D, from which it exhausts at a low pressure through an exhaust pipe 86. Suitable valves may control the connecting pipes of these units and each successive piston is preferably relatively larger than the piston of the unit from which it receives steam and may be carried on a larger disk, so that the application of power may be balanced as the steam pressure reduces in passing from one unit to the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston revoluble in said bore, a circular disk connected with the piston and a. driving shaft rigidly carrying the disk, a revoluble member adapted to extend into and close the bore and havinga recess for admitting the piston land allowing it to pass the revoluble member, bearings for said revoluble 'member, means for admitting steam to said cylinder at one side of the revoluble member, and

screw members carrying the bearings for adjusting the bearings to move the revoluble member toward the side receiving the steamy pressure.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston fitting in and revoluble in said bore, a circular disk -connected with said piston at its periphery, a shaft rigidly carrying said disk, means for intermittently closing said bore, means for admitting steam to and exhaust'- ing it from the cylinder, and packing rings of a lubricative nature -carried by the cylinder member and tightly engaging the sides f of the disk adjacent its periphery, the edges of said rings conforming to the bore of the cylinder.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a gate adapted to be projected across a portion of said bore and means for operating it to intermittently close the bore, a piston revolu' ble in said bore, and rings on said piston having their forward edges of smaller diameter than the rear edges. 4. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a gate adapted to be projected across a portion of said bore and means for operating it to intermittently close the bore, a piston revoluble in said bore, the piston rings having their forward edges of smaller diameterthan the rear edges, slots adjacent the split in' the ring, and means engaging said slots below the surface of the rings to prevent the ends springing outwardly when passing the gate. 5. In a rotary engine, the combination -of a cylinder having an annular bore, a gate \adapted to be projected across a portion of said bore, means for operating it to intermittently close the bore, a piston revoluble in said bore, and piston rings having their forward edges of smaller diameter than the rear edges and having their rear edges .chamfered inwardly so that steam pressure j behind the ring tends to expand the same.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston revoluble in said cylinder, a rotatable member adapted to extend into and close the bore and havinga recess for admitting the piston and `allowing it to pass such member, axial bearings for' the revoluble member, adjust- .able screws carrying these' bearings and adapted to move them in a direction dia ona'lly toward that portion of the rotata le 65 member which receivesbthe incoming steam pressure, and means for admitting steam to the cylinder at one side of the rotatable member.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination'ofa l0 cylinder having an annular bore, a iston revoluble in said bore, a drivin sha t and means connecting the piston t erewith, a rotatable valve extending into said bore adapted to intermittently close the same' and 75 allow the piston to ass, a casing for the valve, a shaft there or vextending through the casing and bearing members eachside of .the valve outside of the casing, oppositely threaded screws carrying said bearing membars and adapted to be rotated to adjust the valve, the axes of the screws lying substantially ina plane extending diagonally through the valve and the opening in the cylinder which the valve closes at the side receiving the -live steam pressure, and means for admitting steam to the cylinder Yat one side of the Valve. 1-

. 8. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston circular in cross section, and a ring for the piston split at one point and having( its edge beveled inwardly so that steam pressure engaging such beveled edge may tend 4 to expand the ring into engagement with the cylinder.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular cylindrical bore, a piston curved longitudinally and adapted to closely it said bore and revolve 1n the same, a shaft, a disk rigid on the shaft extending outwardly to the bore, separated pro` jections on the disk extending into the bore, corresponding slots in the piston recelvlng said projections, screws extending through portions of the piston and through sald prol jections, a plurality of piston rings extending transversely 'around the piston between said projections, means for intermittently projecting across said bore and thus closlng the same, at one point, and means for loosely holding the ends of the piston rings from springing outwardly.

'In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two wltnesses. I

GRANT TEMPLE.` Witnesses:

JUSTINY W. `MAcx1N, ALBERT H. BATES. 

